The Queen And The Mermaid

Chapter 7: An Act Of War

Berenice’s point of view.
You rush from the garden, gathering up speed with each step. Your purpose is to make it to the military hall of the palace.
You’re not going to start a war yet; you are going to hear the king’s negotiations first.
“Sound the horn.” You say to the guard at the door. He salutes, pounding his chest with a fist and raising it in the air.
He takes his horn off his belt and goes to the window adjacent to the hall. The horn blares across the palace grounds.
You go to sit on the war throne and sit up straight. You never show any hints of fear or anxiety in front of your military.
The first order is the strongest from your nation’s military. They are always at the forefront. Each commander’s father before them has served the king for over a century.
A well-trained spymaster works under each commander serving as the secret eyes and ears of the warfront.
It does not take long for them to file inside in an orderly fashion.
Cornelio arrives shortly after. A look of confusion clouds his face.
“What is all of this, your majesty?”
You hand him the note left from the king. He reads it quickly and hands it back over.
“Are you up for negotiations?”
“I will hear what he has to say. That is the only thing. If he thinks I am going to marry him for Galatea’s freedom, it will be an act of war.”
“Over your love?’
“Cornelio. Lesser kings have started wars for far less. She is the love of my life, and he openly took her from me over revenge for turning him down. I made no promises to take his hand. He is the one that is declaring war if I cross over into his borders to save her.”
“I only want to make sure if this is all worth it.”
“Would you be questioning me if I were willing to go to war over the love of a king?”
“I—” He fumbles. That is when you know that you were right. “Every time I argue against something you want; you always remain strong and calm to prove me wrong.” He bows his head, “You have the strength to be the greatest queen this land has ever known. I am sorry I have doubted you.”
“All is forgiven. I don’t expect my right hand to serve me without question.”
He nods.
You turn to address the men of the First Order, “Do you doubt your Queen? If you have any doubts, you can walk out that door.”
The men stand in their place. The most loyal of your subjects.
“Good. King Jericho laid it upon himself to kidnap my betrothed. If we cross into his borders, it is an act of war. We will hear him out. I want my spymasters to sneak in their borders and find out where they may have her. They will return only when they have the answer.”
The spymasters step forward and give you a military salute before, stepping out to begin their journey.
“I want the patrol at my borders doubled. I want ten best men picked by the commanders to come with me. I want the best archer snipers hidden, and within good eyesight over any potential enemy. King Jericho’s civilians for now are forbidden to cross over into ours. Through no fault of their own, their commerce is dead in the water over the king’s selfishness.”
You pace in front of your commanders, almost as tall as they are, “We leave in an hour.”
In unison the soldiers salute and file out of the door.
You step up to the gong and ring it loudly. Lady servants rush in. “My armor. Pack my things for harsh travels.” They spread out like insects, heavily trained in getting everything right at the last moment.
You hurry to your sleeping quarters and go to your jewelry. You pick out the large ruby ring. It was given to your mother by your father as a promise to marry.
He gave it to you before you left on your summer journey to your private island.
_
Berenice aged 14.
“Your mother always wanted to give this to a son that was never born.” He holds out the ring. You look at it confusedly but take it, giving him a grateful nod.
“Why are you giving it to me, father?”
“Because I know.”
You furrow your brow, “What do you know father?”
“That you can never love a man. Not in the romantic sense. This is to give it to a woman who can forever love you for who you are.”
You stare at him with your mouth open, “I didn’t even know…”
“You have hidden it well. I know my own daughter, like the back of my hand. I wish your mother would see it that way.” He cups your cheek with his palm. It is unusually clammy, and weak. You respect him by not mentioning his illness. You know more about him, than he realizes.
“Do not tell your mother. Not until you become queen. Or at all. Your choice. Once you are crowned, you have my permission and support in marrying anyone you choose. Or you don’t have to marry at all.”
“Father I—” You frown and look down at the ring again.
“I want you to be happy. Our nation needs a happy queen. It will be a battle with the council, but you are strong enough to take them head on when you are ready.”
“What about mother?”
“She can and will learn to accept you. Not as the crown, not as someone who needs to stand behind a king and support him.”
“Thank you, father.”
“Don’t thank me for wanting you to be true to yourself. There will be strife that will come from this. You have to be patient. You have to have faith. People will eventually come around.”
“I will save this for the woman who will love me like I will love her. It might be looking for a strand of hay in a haystack.”
“Oh Berenice, there is always someone for everybody. Even those who don’t deserve it. Such as life.”
“I hope so.”
“I know so.”
_
You kept that conversation with your father to yourself. But he was right, you found Galatea. She saved your life that fateful day. You never understood why you never gave her the ring then. Instead, you gave her the hairclip. You regretted not doing that. This time you will make it right. You will give her the ring. You had planned on it, you thought you still have time.
She is worth going to war over. She is the one. From that moment she breathed life back into your lungs.
You hurry to get changed into your armor. It is a ritual getting it on you.
You spend one weekend out of the month getting in and out of it. You have been training and sparring in it for years. Wearing it, is just another second nature to you.
It has been decades since a queen decided to train as a warrior like a king. You’ve been doing this since before your father got sick. Right after your first bleeding. Your mother always hated it. She wanted you to let a king handle it once you married one
The first order is ready and waiting for you. Without a word you mount your warhorse. You bring up your gladius.
“We ride tonight and we ride hard. If the king wants a war, pray he wish for a quiet death.”
They give their war cries and shout their prayers to the god of war, and take off after you.